


Part Of The Journey is The End

by Spider_Queen3010



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Afterlife idea, Angsty w/ a Happy Ending, Aunt & Uncle Avengers, Aunt Carol Danvers, Aunt Natasha Romanov, Aunt Peggy Carter, Aunt Sharon Carter, Extremis Pepper Potts, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Godmother Peggy Carter, Harley & Peter & Morgan are siblings, I love Pepper Stark, I miss Natasha Romanoff, I miss Tony Stark, IronMom, Irondad, LOTS OF IRONMOM, May is everyone’s Aunt, Minor Past BuckyNat, Parent Pepper Potts, Past Sharon Carter/Steve Rogers, Peggy is Tony & Sharon’s Godmother, Pepper Potts Acting as Peter Parker’s Parental Figure, Pepper Potts acting as Harley Keener’s Parental Figure, Pepper Potts as Rescue, Pepperony - Freeform, Pepper’s BFFs w/ Nat & Maria & Hope & Sharon & Carol & Laura & May, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man: Far From Home (Movie), Stark Family, This is tipping more to be, Tony & Nat are close because I said so, Tony & Sharon are cousins, Tony Stark Acting as Harley Keener's Parental Figure, because I said so, enjoy, ironfam, jk, lmao cos they die, more like siblings, they call each other bro and sis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-25 15:58:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19748998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spider_Queen3010/pseuds/Spider_Queen3010
Summary: Anthony Stark fades away, but no one is ever really gone.His ghost moves on, in peace, to the Afterlife, where he finally gets his rest, meets some old and new friends, and awaits the day the love of his life comes to rest with him......and how his living family and friends live on without him.





	1. The End

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this almost immediately after watching Endgame, but only recently got the guts to post the first few chapters...
> 
> I think this idea has been written, but I haven’t really enjoyed the ones I’ve found, so I’m writing my own.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Prologue~

Tony’s last words, “hey Pep,” had come out mumbled, barely audible, but Pepper had heard.

And like always, she remained calm and perfect in the face of disaster. In this case, the disaster was her husband, dying in front of her very eyes, a hero, because he had saved the universe.

They did it. They had won. The cost? His life.

_I’m so sorry._

He’d wanted to say more, poke some fun at Rhodey, his brother, for barely keeping it together.

Tell the kid how proud of him he was.

Tell Pepper how much he loved her...

Maybe even say something to Steve and Thor watching on from behind.

He wished he could see Morgan one last time.

Morgan, his beautiful daughter, who he’d never see become an amazing woman, never see her graduate, get married. Maybe even become a mother…

He’d never see Peter and Harley graduate either.

Happy, his ever loyal friend and guard, who he’d never be able to set up with May, though he trusted Pepper to do that someday.

_Maybe I could say that as my dying wish._

But he couldn’t speak.

He’d never get to have another child with Pepper. Never touch her again.

Never tell her that she was a goddess (not that he hadn’t before). Thank her for sticking by him all this time.

_So so sorry._

But maybe in truth, his last words were perfect.

The last thing he saw was perfect.

Virginia Stark’s beautiful face, her perfect body adorned with the Rescue Armor, because that’s what she’s always done, rescued him. He’d always dreamt of fighting alongside her, and now, here she was.

But he didn’t want to leave her, he didn’t want to leave Morgan.

He finally had it all. He had everything.

Morgan would have to grow up without her father present, something Tony had sometimes experienced, something he never wanted for his own child.

He couldn’t leave them.

_“We’re gonna be okay…”_

She sounded so far away.

But maybe, maybe they would be okay.

They had each other, Rhodey, Happy, May, Peter and Harley…

_“You can rest now.”_

He was so tired.

_Maybe… I will rest now…_

His mouth twitched up slightly, one of his subtle smirks, as he looked up at his love.

She was all he could see, all he could think.

_When I drift off I will dream about you…_

_It’s always you…_

So he dreamt.


	2. You Didn’t Waste It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony reunites with an old friend, and finds another familiar face.

He could’ve been dreaming for days, months or years.

He didn’t care, because the dreams were pure bliss.

It was Pepper, always Pepper.

Sometimes Morgan, sometimes both.

The others would weave in and out occasionally, but it was always Pepper.

At some point in time, the dreams slowed and like all things, came to an end...

.

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He was standing at the lake, by his house on the farm.

_What am I doing_ **here** _?_

Then some movement caught his eye.

It was Pepper, sitting on the stairs off the veranda, next to May Parker.

There was a small smile playing at both women’s lips, smiles they didn’t want to let through.

_Smiles they feel they can’t have._

He moves closer, desperate to hear what they’re talking about.

At first it was pleasant, but then the conversation takes a turn. Pepper’s lip starts to tremble.

“He’s gone May! And Morgan doesn’t fully understand, she keeps thinking he’s going to come back, just like all the people who disappeared did, and I don’t know how to tell her that it’s different… that… he’s _never coming back…_ ”

May pulls her in for a hug, and Tony hears faint sobs and snippets of:

“And Natasha too! She’s gone-” “and am I allowed to feel bad? He saved everyone, and if not for him…”

He didn’t like it. He was here! Right there! Why couldn’t she see?

“Pepper! Pepper! It’s me! I’m here!”

It was no use. He was but a ghost.

“Mummy! Mummy!”

Morgan ran towards the women, who hurriedly wiped their faces and attempted to look more cheery.

Tony’s heart both broke and warmed as Peter and Harley came running, chasing Morgan around a tree.

“Save me mum! Save me!”

Unconsciously, Pepper and May laughed. They hadn’t noticed yet, and Tony felt his heart slowly warm faster. It swelled even more when Pepper referred to the boys as Morgan’s brothers.

His vision started to blur and his cheeks started to hurt from how much he was smiling.

“You didn’t waste it.” Came a familiar voice, one he hadn’t heard in 15 years.

Tony whipped around, “Yinsen?!”

All those years ago, Yinsen’s dying words:

_“Don’t waste it, don’t waste your life Stark.”_

“You didn’t waste it.” Yinsen repeated, smiling, “well, you did, kind of. But your sacrifice healed lives Stark. Good job.”

Tony threw his arms around him.

“Thank you.”

Yinsen chuckled, “what for?”

“For saving my life and getting me out of that cave.”

Yinsen nodded, “hm, well I’d like to thank you too then, for giving my last moments purpose.”

“I often thought about what would’ve happened if I hadn’t made it out of that cave, if the world would be different. If it even cared…”

“I think it would’ve cared.”

Tony watches as Rhodey and Happy hop out of a car and make their way towards the rest of his family. His heart buzzes with happiness.

“I’m glad it all worked out though.”

Yinsen smiles again, “c’mon, you’re journey isn’t over yet.”

Suddenly they’re in a glowing paradise filled with people.

Tall trees, blossoming flowers, an ocean nearby, silvery streams and mountains adorned with waterfalls. The sun shines powerfully and there is a rainbow overhead.

There are sounds of birds singing and there is laughter and the distant mumble of conversations.

The edges of the land seem blurred, and the “sky” seems to sparkle.

“Where are we?”

“Valhalla- heaven as you know it.”

“It’s annoyingly magical.”

Yinsen yet again smiles, “I’m sure there are some people here that you’ll find you’d like to see.”

Tony looks at him slightly confused, “are you going somewhere?”

“Yes, my family wants to go for a walk, but I thought I’d see you first. I’ll see you soon, don’t worry. Take a look around, I’m sure you’ll like what you find. You have all the time in the world.”

He nods one last time before making his way to a group of smiling people. The children hug him and a woman kisses his cheek. Yinsen was with his family at last.

Now alone, Tony looked around.

Everyone looked healthy, happy and quite young.

No one looked elderly.

Tony’s eyes glanced around before stopping on a figure sitting alone at the shore of the beach.

It was a woman, with a dark hoodie.

She had long, deep red hair with blonde tips.

Tony smiled and felt joy radiate through him once more.

He walked towards her, her profile becoming more defined with every step he took.

He was finally behind her, his footsteps barely audible.

He was surprised he even was able to make it this far without alerting her.

He came to a stop, towering over her.

Grin never leaving his face, he said:

  


_“Agent Romanoff… you miss me?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two!
> 
> Posted: 10th of July 2019


	3. Agent Romanoff... You miss me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof okay so...  
> Here we are with chapter three.
> 
> You’ve made it this far, probably fairly quickly cos the first few chapters are super short.
> 
> This one is a little snippet of Natasha.

Natasha was at peace.

Heaven was great and she didn’t mind being alone because in the end, someday her family will arrive and she wouldn’t be alone anymore.

And she didn’t mind waiting, because it was inevitable and, well, she had all the time in the world.

She wondered who she'd see first.

In the meantime, while she was waiting, she could think about home.

She hadn’t been on a beach in so long, especially to relax.

The amount of peace and contentedness she felt and the serenity of the beach combined made her feel the most happiness she'd felt in a long time.

She surveyed the water and thought about her family, the Avengers.

They had won, she felt it.

She wouldn’t visit them yet, for now she just wanted to sit in peace.

She could always visit them another day, and they’d come to her when they were ready.

That didn’t mean she didn’t miss them though.

She thought of Clint, how he was one of her greatest friends, how he believed in her, how his family had become hers.

She thought of Steve, how he’d come to be a great friend too. The missions they’d gone on together. She never even imagined having at least two good friends.

She thought of Thor, how he was friend. She remembered the early days where he had no idea about the greater workings of Earth, and spoke like someone from a Shakespeare play.

She thought of Bruce, and the romance they never got to pursue.

She thought of Tony and Pepper, who apart from Clint, she had known the longest. How Pepper was one of her first closest female friends outside of work (even though they met whilst working) and Tony, who she cared about more than she let on, though now she wished she’d let him know.

When Tony and Pepper finally got married, she was so happy.

She’d known them before they were even together, and she felt they were living the life she wanted, but never could have.

Especially when they had a daughter. Natasha had always wanted a daughter. She wished she could of had a better relationship with Morgan, but the times Morgan was born in were obviously not the best.

She thought of all the rest of the people she knew and cared for.

One day she’ll see them all again.

Not too soon hopefully.

For now she was okay.

For once, she was okay.

//////////////////////////////////

_“Agent Romanoff… you miss me?”_

**Author's Note:**

> First Chapter completed...
> 
> Very vague and short, but what I feel Tony was probably thinking in his last moments.
> 
> See ya next chapter !
> 
> Posted: Wednesday the 10th of July 2019


End file.
